SENATE BILL REPORT

                           ESB 5729

               AS PASSED SENATE, MARCH 15, 1993

Brief Description:  Changing the family emergency assistance program.

SPONSORS: Senator Rinehart

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended. 

     Signed by Senators Talmadge, Chairman; Wojahn, Vice Chairman; Deccio, Erwin, Franklin, Fraser, Hargrove, McAuliffe, McDonald, Moyer, Niemi, Prentice, Quigley, Sheldon, and Winsley.

Staff:  Richard Rodger (786‑7461)

Hearing Dates: February 26, 1993; March 1, 1993

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Social and Health Services' (DSHS) emergency assistance program provides food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and other necessary items to needy persons.  The eligibility and resource standards for emergency assistance are stricter than the standards for Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC).  The state receives federal Title IV-A matching funds for the emergency assistance program.

The department presently provides many other emergency services to the public.  If the department added these other services to the emergency assistance program, the state would receive additional Title IV-A matching funds.

The family preservation services statute provides that matching federal funds shall supplement and not supplant state funds for the program.

SUMMARY:

DSHS may provide emergency assistance in the form of family reconciliation services, family preservation services, home-based services, short-term substitute care, crisis nurseries, therapeutic child care, or other necessary services. 

A person is eligible for emergency assistance if his or her income is at, or less than, 100 percent of the federal poverty level.  When determining eligibility for emergency assistance, the department may consider the applicant's other resources.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  yes

Fiscal Note:  available

TESTIMONY FOR:

This bill will allow the state to recapture additional federal funds.  It will not impact the delivery of services for any of the enumerated programs.

TESTIMONY AGAINST (original bill):

Section 2 of the bill will interfere with the funding source for the expansion of the family preservation services program.

TESTIFIED:  Gerard Sidorowicz, DSHS; Laurie Evans, DSHS; Charlotte Booth, Executive Director, Behavioral Sciences Institute; Margaret Casey, Children's Alliance